We Have Arrived

You know you have arrived as a race director when:

• Your friend spots last year's Run Scared t-shirt at the Goodwill (and you yourself haven't donated it). Sort of a bittersweet moment as you want your participants to love and wear your shirts, but that also means that there were enough people at the race to have your shirt circulating through Goodwill. I hope someone buys it!
• You get harassed by event t-shirt companies, almost on a daily basis, to get your business.
• Your company gets invited (unsolicited) by REI to their first annual Running Expo at their flagship store (stay tuned for details).
• You are on a first name basis with almost all the running store owners in town.
• Other people come to you for advice on how to put on races - I love this and almost all the people you talk to walk away shaking their heads saying, "I ain't doing all that work!"
• You have companies contacting you wanting to give away their products at your events. In the past I have always had to beg for cool stuff to give away. Now its just rolling in!
• Being approached by volunteers offering to volunteer on race day. Also, in the past I have had to beg and bribe friends and family. Now for Good Karma (still 3 months away) I already have a good chunk of my volunteers.

Milestones still to look forward to as a race director:

• Selling out a race in advance of race day - Seattle? You up for it!? Good Karma is open for registration!
• Landing John Curley as an MC - John? You up for it!?
• Having one of our races featured in Runners World - Every issue I get in the mail I flip straight to that section in hopes, but alas, not to be, yet! Runners World? You up for it?
• Getting an airline to donate two round trip tickets as a prize! Alaska Air? You up for it!?
• Attracting a world-class athlete to participate. Deena, Haile, Paula, Shalane, Ryan? You up for it!?